The Battlefield 6 open beta is off to a strong start, attracting over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam within just hours of its early access launch on August 7, 2025. The impressive turnout signals a positive response from the community ahead of the public beta phase.

The early access period, which began at 4 PM Malaysian time, is currently available only to Battlefield Labs participants, EA Play Pro subscribers, selected stream viewers, and players meeting specific conditions.

According to SteamDB, the beta reached a peak of 307,030 concurrent users shortly after launch and is still climbing. This performance makes it the most popular Battlefield launch ever on Steam and the 44th most-played game in Steam history by concurrent players, overtaking previous series records by a wide margin.

Public Beta Incoming

The main open beta sessions will run on August 9–10 and August 14–17, allowing anyone to try the shooter. Given the early access numbers, the public test could push the game’s player count even higher.

Battlefield 6 is also riding high in pre-release hype. It currently ranks 9th on Steam’s most wishlisted unreleased games and recently hit 3rd place on the platform’s top-grossing chart, thanks to strong pre-orders.

Breaking Records for the Series

To put the milestone into perspective, Battlefield 2042 previously held the series’ open beta record on Steam with a peak of 156,665 concurrent players. The Battlefield 6 open beta’s early access has already nearly doubled that figure within hours, with the public open beta players still waiting to play this weekend.

At one point, the game servers were full, and Battlefield had to try and mitigate the issue. The game’s early success is partly due to EA’s decision to launch on Steam alongside other platforms, moving away from its former EA App exclusivity.

Players are also praising changes that return to Battlefield’s roots, such as classic class-based loadouts and the removal of forced EA App logins on Steam.

A Positive Early Impression

Initial previews suggest that Battlefield 6 delivers the scale, chaos, and teamwork fans have been craving. With Call of Duty facing criticism over monetization and cosmetic clutter, some fans believe this could be Battlefield’s moment to reclaim the FPS spotlight.

If the beta’s momentum continues, Battlefield 6 could soon overtake other top Steam titles like Elden Ring: Nightreign and Destiny 2 in concurrent player rankings before its full release.

The open beta goes public on August 9–10 and August 14–17. Check the official Battlefield website for participation details and prepare to join the fight.